Internal combustion engine



Dec. 24, C H. KNUDSEN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 UV VENTOR Com-L H. ffnucgsen 1935 c.- H. KNUDSEN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C424 H Manse-N Patented Dec. 24, 1935 Carl H. KnudsemBrooklyn, N. Y'., assignor to Viking 'DieselMotor Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New. York Application May is, 1935, Serial No. 22,228

, Claims. (01. 123-65) This invention relates to internal combustion j engines and particularly of the two cycle fuel-oil type; and the object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified type of cylinder construction employing circumferentially arranged scavenging and exhaust ports controlled by the pistons operating in the cylinders and further controlled by sleeve valves slidably engaging the cylinders and actuated through cams or equivalent means in operative engagement with the drive shaft of the motor whereby a better super-charging of the cylinders may be efiected as well as in establishing an earlier compression, thereby producing a more eilicient motor; a further object being to provide an engine, the cylinder structure of which includes a crank case portion and an outer portion including the head of the cylinder which is in threaded engagement with said crank case portion; 'a further object being to provide an engine of the class described in which the cylinders are arranged in opposed relation with respect to each otherwith the pistons operating from a single crank whereby whenthe piston in one cylinder is in its working stroke, the piston in the opposed cylinder is under compression, thereby establishing a balanced condition as between the opposed pistons and serving to take up the reciprocating forces; and with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in an engine of the class described which is of relatively light construction, and which is constructed as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings forma part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side and sectional view of a portion of an engine employing circumferentially and longitudinally spaced cylinders.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view of a part of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows side view of a part of the construe tion shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3a is an end view of Fig. 3. i

a Fig. 4 is a plan view of a. part of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4a is a side edge view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view through another form of engine which I employ; and,

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic outlines indicating the successive positions of the sleeve valve during part of the cycle of revolution of the engine.

the engine as is the conventional practice.

In the accompa ying drawings, the illustra tion of my improved engine structure is made diagrammatic. For purposes of simplification, various commonly known elements of the engine design have been omitted, and the illustration 5 has been restricted to the novel structural features which constitute my present invention.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1- have diagrammatically illustrated an engine consisting of two or more series of circumferentially spaced cylinders 10 l0, two. of the cylinders in the front series being shown, and on cylinder of a next adjacent or rearward series being indicated between the first two cylinders.

Each cylinder I8 is composed of a crankcase 15 portion ll, enlarged at its outer end andjinter: nally threaded as seen at l2 to receive the outer portion l3 which includes the cylinder head It."

The cylinder portion I 3 is provided adjacent-the lower end thereof with circumferentially spaced 2o exhaust ports l5 and correspondingly spaced scavenging ports I 6. The ports l5 open into an annular exhaust space or manifold. ll which in certain uses of the engine, ;for' example, in aeronautical use, may open to atmosphere. The 25 ports l6 open into a. scavenging air chamber I8 which surrounds all the cylinders and to which air will-be supplied by a suitable compressor not 7 shown, preferably in operative engagement with In the construction shown, the cylinder part I3 is enclosed in a jacket or casing diagrammati callyindicated at l9,the wall of which casing may be finned for cooling p rposes. The jacket Isis attached to the cylinder by a ring 20 or in any other desired manner. The exhaust passage or manifold I1 is subdivided from the scavenging.

chamber by apartition plate2l which is arrangedin spaced relation to the wall. of the cylinder part l3 to receive a relatively narrow 4o sleeve valve 22 and permit the movement of said valve on the cylinder part l3 to control the opening and closing of the exhaust portions l5 independent of the control thereof by the piston 23 operating in the cylinder. In this connection, it

will be understood that the. brief description of one cylinder structure will apply to-all and like references will designate like parts in the separate cylinders. The crank of the crank shaft of. the

engine operating the forward series of cylinders is indicated at 24, whereas the crank operatingthe rear series of cylinders is indicated at2la';

At 25, I have shown a cam onthe c rank shaft of the engine for operating the sleeve valvm in the forward series of cylinders, andza't 225a a cam for actuatingthe valves of the rear series of cylinders. Each sleeve valve 22 is of the construction shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and has on oppositely disposed sides, outwardly projecting lugs 22a with which operating rods 26 are coupled.

The lower ends of said rods have yoke-shaped ends 26a. to which are pivoted roller supporting links 21 having rollers 28 operatinguponthe surface of the respective cams 25, a.

Mounted on suitable pivot pins 29 intermediate adjacent cylinders,is a pair of rocker arms 30, 30a, the free ends of which are pivoted to the links 21 as indicated at 2111, it being understood that one arm extends from the pivot 29 in the direction of one cylinder and the other in the direction of the other cylinder, so that in the complete series, there will be one arm of each pair coupled with the links 21 at opposed sides of each cylinder. Springs 3| are employed to normally support the rollers 28 in engagement with the cams, which 'in turn, will move the sleeve valves 22 in one direction, the cams serving to move the valves in the opposite direction. The rods 26 operate in suitable bearings Ila formed in the portions ll of the cylinder structure.

With the design of engine diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1, each circumferential series of cylinders will consist of eight cylinders. Thus, each cylinder in the series will have a directly opposed cylinder coupled with the same crank and in this respect is substantially similar to the horizontal engine diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

With the engine shown in Fig. 5, the opposed cylinders are indicated at 32 and each cylinder consists of an outwardly projecting crank case portion 33 and a portion 34 including the head 35 of the cylinder in threaded engagement with.

the portion 33 as indicated at 36, similar in these respects to the cylinder structure shown in Fig.

I. The part 34 has circumferentially spaced exhaust ports 31 and correspondingly spaced scavenging ports 38. The sleeve valve controlling the exhaust ports 31 is indicated at 39, andsubstituted for the rods 26 are rods 40 having V- shaped heads 4 at the inner ends thereof and springs 42 on said rods and cooperating with the heads 4| to support the V notches thereof in connection with pins 43 at one end of rocker arms 44, pivoted as seen at 45 and the otherends of which carry rollers 46 operating in connection.

with earns 41, the latter being driven through shafts 48 in operative engagement with the crank shaft 49.

The connecting rods 50 of pistons not shown in Fig. ,5 operating in the opposed cylinders are both coupled with the crank 49a of the crank shaft 49. It will also appear that the opposed cylinder structures are secured together by bolts or coupling rods 5|, the ends of which extend into scavenging chambers 52 partially formed by top and bottom plates 53, 53a. The crank case portion of the engine is-closed by top and bottom plates 54 and-54a. With this construction,

a verylight as well as simple engine design is provided, and aside from the particular type of engine, that is to say from the innermost position of the valve to the outermost position thereof, it being understood that the valve moves from the position shown in Fig. 9 back into the position shown in Fig. 6 during another part of the 5 complete cycle of the engine crank shaft.

In the operation of the engine, it will be understood that scavenging air preferably under pressure is permitted to enter the cylinder as the piston reaches the innermost end of its travel, and this air operates to thoroughly clean out the exhaust gases, the exhaust ports 31 having previously been opened as seen in Fig. 6, and then at the beginning of the compression stroke, the exhaust ports 3! are closed by the valves 39 and 15 the scavenging air under pressure continues to enter the cylinder as may be seen in Fig. 8 of the drawings until the piston reaches the position shown in Fig. 9, at which time compression will start, especially by virtue of the fact that air 20 under pressure has previously been introduced into the cylinder. The sleeve valve 39 remains in the position shown in Fig. 9 throughout the compression stroke, and 'a major part of the firing stroke, and is again moved into the open posi- 25 'tion shown in Fig. 6 to permit the burnt gases .to be discharged through the exhaust port. As will appear from a consideration of Fig. l of the drawings, the scavenging air is permitted to enter the central portion of the cylinder, beao ing so directed by the conical head on the piston as is indicated by the arrows in said figure, and the head of the cylinder is also made substantially conical in form to provide a more or less restricted compression chamber l4a into which 35 the fuel is injected by means of a suitable nozzle, not shown, through the port I-4b provided in said head.

With the engine structure shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, any number of pairs of cylinders 40 tubular cylinder including the cylinder head in threaded engagement with the said inner cylinder, the diameter of the bores of both cylinders 55 being the same, said outer cylinder having two sets of circumferentially spaced ports arranged adjacent the inner end thereof and forming the scavenging and exhaust ports of the cylinder structure.

2. An engine, the cylinder structure of which is composed of an inner cylinder and an outer tubular cylinder including the cylinder head in threaded engagement with the said inner cylinder, the diameter of the bores of both cylinders being the same, said outer cylinder having two sets of circumferentially spaced ports arranged adjacent the inner end thereof and forming the scavenging and exhaust ports of the cylinder structure, a short sleeve valve slidably engaging the outer cylinder, and means involving a cam for actuating said valve to open and close said exhaust ports.

3. An engine 01' the class described compris ing opposed cylinders, pistons in said cylinders, 15

acrank shaft intermediate the opposed cylinders d with which 'thepistons are coupled, each cylin er having substantially centrally thereof circumferentially spaced exhaust ports inwardly of -5 and adjacent which are circumferentially spaced of the closure of said scavenging ports at the,

beginning of the compression stroke of said pistons.

4. An engine of the class described comprising is opposed cylinders, pistons in said cylinders, a

crank shaft intermediate the opposed cylinders and with which'the pistons are coupled, each cylinder having substantially centrally thereof circumferentially spaced exhaust ports inwardly of 20 and adjacent which are circumferentially spaced 'scaveninging ports, the pistons in said cylinders controlling said exhaust and scavenging ports, other means movably supported on the cylinders and cooperating with said exhaust ports to close 25 7 said ports in advance of the closure of said scavenginz ports at the beginning of the compression stroke of said pistons, said last named means comprising a sleeve, and means involving a cam in operative engagement with the crank shaft of the so engine for actuating each of said valves.

. -5. An engine of the-class described'comprising opposed cylinders, pistons in said cylinders, a crank shaft intermediate the opposed cylinders and with which the pistons are coupled, each as cylinder having substantially, centrally thereof circumferentially spaced exhaust ports inwardly of and adjacent which are circumferentially spaced scavenging ports, the pistons in said cylinders controlling said exhaust and scavenging valves, said sleeve valves including plunger rods at opposite sides thereof, and levers for trans- 50 miting the cam action to the sleeve valves through:

said

6. A n ngine of the class described comprising opposed cylinders, pistons in said cylinders, a

erank shaft intermediate the opposed cylinders 5s and with which the pistons are coupled, each cylinder having substantially, centrally thereof circumferentially spaced exhaust ports inwardly of and adjacent which are circumferentially spaced scavenging ports, the pistons in'said cylinso ders controlling said'exhaust and 'scaveninging ports, other means movably supported on the cyiinders and cooperating with said exhaust ports to close said-ports in advance of the closure of said scavenging ports at the beginning of the comg5 pression strokeof said pistons, said last named means comprising a sleeve, means involving a cam in operative engagement with the crank shaft of theengine for actuating each of said valves, said sleeve valves including plunger rods at oppo- 7 side sides thereof, and layers for transmitting the cam action to the sleeve valves through said rod,

' and tensional means for moving said sleeve valves in one direction.

'1. In an internal cmnbustion .engine a fixed scylinder having exhaustand scavenging ports spaced circumferentially of the cylinder intermediate its' ends, a piston'in said cylinder controlling said ports, a circumferential space formed outwardly of and longitudinally of the cylinder, wall proper adjacent, said ports, anarrow sleeve 5 valve arranged in said space and movable longitudinally of and contacting said cylinder and, controlling said exhaust ports, and means extending in the direction of the crankcase end of the cylinder for operating said valve. i

- 8. In an internal combustion engine, a fixed cylinder having'exhaust and scavenging ports spaced circumferentially of the cylinder intermediate its ends, a piston in said cylinder control,- ling 'said ports, a. circumferential space formed v outwardly of and longitudinally of the cylinder wall proper adjacent said ports, a narrow sleeve valve arranged in said space and movable longitudinally of and contacting said cylinder and controlling said exhaust ports, means extending in the direction of the crank case end of the cylinder'for operating said valve, and the cylinder structure having independent exhaust and scavenging passages communicating with the cyl inder ports and subdivided by a partition wall arranged outwardly of the cylinder intermediate said ports and passages.

9. In an engine, the cylinder structure of which comprises an outer tubular cylinder part detach-' able with respect to the remainder of the cylinder 80 structure and in which the piston of the engine operates, the inner end portion of the tubular cylinder having two sets of circumferentially arranged ports, one set constituting the exhaust ports and the other the scavenging ports, the cylinder structure having outwardly of said tubular cylinder exhaust and scavenging chambers registering with said ports and subdivided by a partition disposed intermediate the sets of ports in said cylindenand a ring-like valve encircling the 40 tubular cylinder and movable lonigtudinally thereof to control the. opening and closing of the exhaust ports of said cylinder independent of the piston operating in said-cylinder.

10. In an engine,-the cylinder structure of which comprises an outer tubular cylinder part detachable with respect to the remainder of the cylinder structure and in which the piston of the engine operates, the inner end portion of the tubular cylinder having two sets of circumferentially arranged ports, one set constituting the exhaust ports and the other the scavengingports, the cylinder. structure having outwardly of said tubular cylinder exhaust and scavenging chambers registering wit said ports and subdivided by a partition dis ed intermediate the sets of ports insaid cylinder, a ring-like valve encircling the tubular cylinder and movablelongitudinally thereof to control .the opening and closing of the exhaust ports of said cylinder independent of the piston operating in" said cylinder, and'the arrangement of the scavenging ports with respect to the. piston travel being such as .to dispose said ports in alinement with the top of the piston. and being fully opened by said piston in the innermost position of the piston in said cylinder,

11. In an engine, the cylinder structure of which comprises an outer tubular cylinder part detachable with respect tothe remainder of the cylinder structure and in which the piston of the engine operates, the inner end portion of the tubular cylinder having two sets oi circumferentially arranged ports, one set constituting the exhaust ports and the other the scavenging ports, 15'

the cylinder structure having outwardly of said tubular cylinder exhaust and scavenging chambers registering with said ports and subdivided by a partition disposed intermediate the sets of ports in said cylinder, a ring-like valve encircling thetubular cylinder and movable longitudinally thereof to control the opening and closing of the exhaust ports of said cylinder incylinder, the cylinder being provided at a point registering with the innermost point of piston travel with circumferentially arranged intake ports controlled by said piston, the cylinder having circumferentially arranged xhaust ports adjacent and outwardly-of said take ports, a short valve chamber formed on the outer surface of the cylinder wall for a limited length of said wall and in registering alinement with the exhaust ports of said cylindenand a short valve mounted on the outer surface of the cylinder wall and movable longitudinally thereof to open and close said exhaust ports.

'13. Anintemal combustion engine comprising 'an elongated cylinder, 9. piston operating in said cylinder, the cylinder being provided at a point registering with the innermost point of piston travel with circumferentially arranged intake ports controlled by said piston, the cylinder having circumferentially arranged exhaust ports adjacent and outwardly of said intake ports, ashort valve chamber formed on the outer surface of the cylinder wall for a limited length of said wall and in registering alinement with the exhaust ports of said cylinder, a short valve mounted on the outer surface of the cylinder wall and movable longitudinally thereof to open and close said exhaust ports, and means forming independent exhaust and intake chambers outwardly of the cylinder wall and in registering alinement with said exhaust and intake ports.

14. An internal combustion engine comprising an elongated cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder, the cylinder being provided at a point registering with the innermost point of piston travel with circumferentially arranged intake ports controlled by said piston, the cylinder having circumferentially arranged exhaust ports adjacent and outwardly of said intake ports, a short valve chamber formed on the outer surface of the cylinder wall for a limited length of said wall and in registering alinement with the exhaust ports of said cylinder, a short valve mounted on the outer surface of the cylinder wall and movable longitudinally thereof to open and close said exhaust ports, means forming independent exhaust and .intake chambers outwardly of the cylinder wall and in registering alinement with said exhaust and intake ports, and means for detachably mounting the cylinder with respect to the engine structure without disturbing said last named means and said valve.

- 15. An internal combustion engine comprising an elongated cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder, the cylinder being provided at a point registering with the innermost point of piston travel with circumferentially arranged intake ports controlled by said piston, the cylinder having circumferentially arranged exhaust ports adjacent and outwardly of said intake ports, a short valve chamber formed on the outer surface of the cylinder wall for a limited length of said wall and in registering alinement with'the exhaust ports of said cylinder, a short valve mounted on the outer surface of the cylinder wall and movable longitudinally thereof to open and close said exhaust ports, means forming independent exhaust and intakechambrs outwardly of the cylinder wall and in. registering alinement with said exhaust and intake ports, means for detachably mounting the cylinder with respect to the engine structure without disturbing said last named means and said valve, and means including the crank shaft ofthe engine for actuating said valve to open and close the exhaust ports in advance of said intake ports.

16. An engine of the class described comprising an inner cylinder part having an outwardly extending internally threaded tubular portion, an independent tubular cylinder part, the inner end of which is externally threaded to engage the internally threaded first named cylinder part, the bores of both cylinder parts being of substantially the same diameter and arranged in common alinement, and the piston of the engine being mounted and operating in both of said cylinder parts. I

17. An engine of the class described comprising an inner cylinder part having at its outer end an internally threaded enlarged portion, an

outer tubular cylinder part, the inner end of which is externally threaded to engage the internally threaded end of the first named cylinder part, the bores of both cylinder parts being of substan- "tially the same diameter and arranged in comin said cylinder.

18. An engine of the class described comprising an inner cylinder part having at its outer end an internally threaded enlarged portion, an

outer tubular cylinder part, the inner end of which is externally threaded to engage the internally threaded end of the first named cylinder part, the bores of both cylinder parts being of substantially the same diameter and arranged in common alinement, the piston of the 65 engine being mounted and'operating in both of said cylinder parts, the outer tubular part having adjacent its inner end circumferentially arranged intake and exhaust ports controlled by the piston in saidcylinder, and a comparatively narrow ring valve slidably engaging the outer surface of said tubular cylinder part and movable longitudinally thereof to control the opening and closing of said exhaust ports.

' 19. An engine of the class described comprising an inner cylinder part having at its outer end an internally threaded enlarged portion, an outer tubularcylinder part, the inner end of which is externally threaded to engage the internally threaded end of the first named cylinder part, the bores of both cylinder parts being of substantially the same diameter and arranged in common alinement, the piston of the engine being mounted and operatingin both of. said cylinder parts, the outer tubular part having adjacent the inner end circumferentially arranged intake and exhaust ports controlled by the piston in said cylinder, and a comparatively narrow ring valve slidably eng ging the outer surface of said tubular cylinder part and movable longitudinally thereof to control the opening and closing of said exhaust ports, the'o'uter cylinder part including a contracted substantially diately above the piston at the innermost end of piston travel, an exhaust port in the cylinder adjacent and outwardly of said intake port, both of said ports being controlled by said piston, a valve engaging the outer surface of the cylinder wall and movable longitudinally thereof to open and close the exhaust port only independent of said piston, and means in operative engagement with the crank-shaft of the engine for actuating said valve to open and close the exhaust port in advance of the opening and closing of the exhaust port and the intake port of said piston.

21. In an engine of the class described, an elongated cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder, a crank-shaft for actuating said piston, the cylinder having intake ports therein adapted to fully'communicate with the cylinder immediately above the piston at the innermost end of piston travel, an exhaust. port in the cylinder adjacent and outwardly of said intake port, both of said ports being controlled by said piston, a valve engaging the outer surface of the cylinder wall and movable longitudinally thereof to open and close the exhaust port only independent of said piston, means in operative engagement with the crank-shaft of the engine for actuating said 1 valve to open and close the exhaust port in advance'of the opening and closing of ,the exhaust port and the intake port by said piston, and the cylinder comprising inner and outer detachably coupled parts, the bores of which are of the same size and in common alinement, and said ports being-formed in, the wall of the outer cylinder part adjacent the inner end thereof.

22. In-an engine of the class described, an elongated cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder, a crank-shaft for actuating said piston, the cylinder having intake ports therein adapted to fully communicate with the cylinder immediately above the piston at the innermost end of piston travel, an exhaust port in the cylinder adjacent and outwardly of said intake port, both of said ports being controlled by said piston, a valve engaging the outer surface of the cylinder wall and movable longitudinally thereof to open and close the exhaust port only independently of said piston, means in operative engagement with the crank shaft of the engine for. actuating said valve to open and close the exhaust port in advance of the opening and closing of the exhaust detachably mount said' tubular port and the intake port ,by said piston, the cylinder comprising inner and outer detachably coupled parts the bores of which are of the same size and in common alinement, said ports being formed in the wall of the outer cylinder part adjac'ent the inner end thereof, the cylinders of the engine being arranged in opposed relation to each other at opposite sides of said crank shaft, and the inner parts of the respective cylinders including outwardly extending crank case por- 10 tions.

23. An engine, the cylinder structure of which is composed of an inner cylinder and an outer tubular cylinder in threaded engagement with said inner cylinder and including the cylinder 15 head, the diameter of the bores of both cylinders being the same, said outer cylinder having two sets of circumferentially spaced ports arranged adjacent the inner end thereof and forming the scavenging and exhaust ports of the cylinder 20 structure, a sleeve valve mounted on and movable longitudinally of the outer cylinder, a piston movable longitudinally of the inner and outer cylinders, a crank shaft for actuating said piston, means in operative engagement with the crank 25 shaft and said sleeve valve for actuating the valve to open and close said exhaust ports only, said piston controlling both scavenging and exhaust ports, and said sleeve valve being actuated in each cycle ofcrank shaft operation to close 30 the exhaust ports in advance of theclosing of said scavenging ports whereby air under pres-, sure is introduced into the cylinder at thebeginning of the compression stroke.

24. An engine of the class described compris- '5 ing an inner cylinder part having an outwardly extending internally threaded tubular portion, an independent tubular cylinder part, the inner end of which. is externally threaded to engage the internally threaded first named cylinder part to 40 part, a piston operating in said tubular cylinder-part, and the second .named tubular cylinder part having circumferentially extending intake and exhaust ports arranged in close proximity to each other I at a point adjacent the'top of the piston when at the innermost end of the piston travel. k

25. An internal combustion engine comprising an elongated cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder, the cylinder being provided at a 59 point registering with the top of the piston at the innermost point of piston travel with circumferentially arranged intake ports controlled so1e-' ly by said piston, the cylinder having circumferentially arranged exhaust ports arranged ad- 55 jacent and outwardly of said intake ports, said exhaust ports being controlled by said piston, and other automatically actuated means controlling said exhaust ports to, close said ports at thebeginning of the upward compression stroke 0 of the piston while maintaining said intake ports open to provide for the supply of air under pressure to the cylinder at the beginning of the compression strokeof said piston.

, 65 CARL Hr 

